Chaffetz: Congressmen Need A Housing Allowance

[Wrong Element]

Rep. Jason Chaffetz will leave Congress later this week to begin his new life annoying people in the private sector. But on the way out, the congressman best known for 1) releasing the Comey letter last October and 2) telling people that they could afford health insurance if they would just stop buying iPhones has gone on record saying that congressmen can't be expected to afford to live in Washington on their current $174,000 a year.


Just days before he resigns from Congress, Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) said Monday that House and Senate lawmakers should receive a $2,500 per month housing allowance — something he explained would help ease housing costs for members who can’t afford two mortgages or rents.

“I really do believe Congress would be much better served if there was a housing allowance for members of Congress,” Chaffetz told The Hill in an interview in his Capitol office, where he sleeps whenever he’s in Washington. “In today’s climate, nobody’s going to suggest or vote for a pay raise. But you shouldn’t have to be among the wealthiest of Americans to serve properly in Congress.”

http://thehill.com/homenews/house/339570-chaffetz-calls-for-2500-legislator-housing-stipend#.WVJypC-cdRs.facebook


I guess he needs to look at his phone plan.

Washington is indeed ridiculously expensive. But there's a difference between believing the members of Congress should be well-paid -- something I support -- and believing that their salaries ought to be high enough to support two homes and multiple kids in college with no financial pressure. Non-congressmen have to make those tradeoffs all the time. And that's precisely why a lot of members of Congress have either made a little money before going into politics, or are in two-career marriages.

I didn't mention Chaffetz's party affiliation, but if you haven't heard this story demagogued all morning long on Fox News and talk radio, you can probably guess what it is.

 

[JackLuis]

Put them up at Motel 6, very efficient and worth every cent.

 

[Iceprincess12]

The ghettos need more class. Always room for one more.

 

[BoyNextDoor]

I am sure this will be unpopular ....

I do believe that salaries are too low, staff should be increased and a housing allowance makes sense. But that said I get your point with Chaffetz - he is an asshole.

More congressman makes sense to me too. 750,000 constituents is too many for one representative to represent. That would be the a helpful component to combat to Gerrymandering in addition to the district lines being drawn by municipalities.

As long as no changes in pay or housing could take effect until the next seating of Congress I think it would work. Every challenger could run on "Does this guys deserve a raise?". Better than term limits!

 

[Hard_Rom]

174K is enough. Primary residence should be your district. If anything give them a tax break on renting a place in D.C.

 

[Adre]

If you don't like the salary (and the considerable perks), then don't apply for the job. Someone else will be happy to have a steady job where you only work about half the year.

 

[phrodeau]

I hear that there's plenty of vacancies at Trump International in DC.

 

[jaF0]

Establish a dorm-like facility in DC. GSA can manage it. One two bedroom suite per Congress member, with an office elsewhere in the same facility. And a cafeteria.

NO salary. Live in this facility, all reasonable expenses paid.

Provide a market based stipend for an office in the home district. Maybe two if the district is geographically large.

 

[jaF0]

And Term Limits. Put an end to shitheads like Mitch and Newter.

 

[handysr]

In most cases, D.C. isn't their home, it's their workplace. If they don't want to pay to live there but instead only maintain a home in their actual state of residence, then their employer should pay for it. That's how it works for almost everyone else that has a job, right?

When I travel for work, I get a mid-grade hotel not far from work, my commute paid for, and limited meals. Why not them too? There is always the choice to pay for everything themselves, but they don't have to if they don't want to.

I'd say give them a small-ish one bedroom apartment, extended stay style, for the duration. Is it luxurious? Hell no. Is it a basic place to eat/sleep/shit? Yup. It's for a work trip, not a vacation, so they don't need luxury. There are sure to be things they don't want to ship with them every time, so maybe an allowance for a 6x6 storage locker.

If they don't want the basic accommodations, they can pay out of their pocket for the upgrades without being able to deduct it. Using price-fixing agreements with local businesses, and a bulk discount, that shouldn't be too horribly expensive, right?

 

[BoyNextDoor]

If you don't like the salary (and the considerable perks), then don't apply for the job. Someone else will be happy to have a steady job where you only work about half the year.

Well part of it is that you are competing for talent that can make more elsewhere. If you can make $500K in the private sector why make $174K in the public sector? Salaries and benefits need to keep up for certain jobs, especially when the job is one of 435 votes that determine the lives of 350 million people directly and 7 billion more indirectly.

Not to mention that constituent services should be expanded and that means more congressional staff.

ETA: "When I travel for work, I get a mid-grade hotel not far from work, my commute paid for, and limited meals."

^^^^
Yep.

 

[BoyNextDoor]

And Term Limits. Put an end to shitheads like Mitch and Newter.

Terms are limited - 2 years and 6 years.